Introduction
John Lucas, an Englishman, first came to Goa in the early 70s, a time when thousands of young Westerners like him headed eastwards along the Hippy Trail. Disillusioned with life in the West, these youngsters came in search of a new life, which they thought the great spiritual systems of the orient might have to offer. And Lucas found his peace right here in Goa. A keen windsurfer, he returned the next time around with his board and rig. setting a trend that has made the colorful sails as common a sight as the palms themselves.
Best Seasons for Water Sports
The best season for enjoying water sports in Goa is from October to May when the skies here are cloudless and blue, and the waters placid
Windsurfing in Goa
Windsurfing is a unique blend of surfing and sailing, which requires the surfer to adjust his strength and balance to the changing patterns of wind and water. By shifting his feet forward or backward, leaning the weight to the right or left, and manipulating the boom in or out, the windsurfer modulates and harmonizes the fickle forces of wind and water to obtain the desired balance and direction. To the expert who has honed himself in all these nuances, windsurfing can indeed be an exhilarating experience.
Most of the windsurfing trainers and experts deems Dona Paula bay to be ideal for the beginners. The conditions here are almost lake-like for both the prevailing winds and the sea. The morning breeze is light and steady. just right for learners; while stronger winds that set in during the afternoons offer a perfect challenge for the more experienced.
However, water sports have seen a stupendous growth all along the Goa and have been largely responsible for the first Windsurfing Regatta, now an annual event. This, along with the Open Board Sailing Competition that lasts up to a week, are events that all water enthusiasts have come to look forward to
Dingy Sailling
A pleasant change from windsurfing is dinghy sailing, often referred to as . beer and sandwich. sailing. With the winds in Goa so gentle most of the time, this particular sport offers its participants much time to relax. Dinghies are available for hire at the Cidade de Goa and the Taj Holiday Village. These 15-odd feet long crafts hold three to four people comfortably
Angling
The beaches of Goa offer a varied and plentiful, almost inexhaustible, supply to seafood, still incredibly cheap and absolutely fresh. Go to Betul for Goa. s best and largest mussels, brought ashore by expert divers. Go to Agonda (not to be confused with Aguada) for all imaginable rockfish which, with any lucky, you could angle yourself. Soormai, salmon and mullet are frequent catches. |
 
